Tech: Android: Creative Essentials

Android gets slated occasionally for not having the same wealth of creative apps that iOS devices deliver for musicians and artists, but the fact is there's a good fewapps on the Android Market that can quench your mobile creative requirements. Whether you are a musician, artist, writer or whatever there is probably something on there for every need. Obviously this list isn't an exhaustive one, but I reckon I've found a few essentials everyone should check out.

Recording: Setting up Ableton Live for Recording

I wrote this beginners guide last year on the DV247 music forum, but for some reason never thought to re-post it on here. I think it's a useful guide to getting more from Live once you've got the default install up and running. Re-reading it has reminded me about a few features that I rarely use, so it could be worth a read for anyone using Live out there. Any edits on the original have been made in the classic square brackets.

2011: A Year in Gear

I spent more money on guitar related gear last year than I ever have in the past (and more than I'm likely to ever again!). 

Gear Review: Chapman Guitars ML-2

This is a review of the original Chapman Guitars ML-2, which was released as a limited run of 250 units worldwide. This is not a review of the since re-released model now available from Andertons Music. If you want to know more about that then I recommend watching this video on Rob's Youtube channel.

     Chapman Guitars is a guitar company based in the UK, run by Rob Chapman (of YouTube fame), who makes limited run guitars based around the principle of collaborative design. They also offer a custom shop design fulfilled by Jaden Rose, in the form of their Explorer shaped Ghost Fret.
     The ML-2 is the most recent guitar to come out of Rob Chapman's company. The guitar was  collaboratively designed by votes cast by his YouTube followers and members of his forum. The design of the guitar was prototyped by Jaden Rose, but copied and built en masse in a factory in China.

Audio: TouchDAW - Wireless Sequencer Control

     TouchDAW is an affordable midi control app for Android OS devices. It's developer, humatic, charges a mere £3.03 for the app from the Android Market. While the hardware you run it on is obviously more expensive, if you already have an Android OS phone or tablet then the additional outlay for a full hardware control surface is likely to exceed this £3 investment. What you get for the money is a full pre-configured mixer, 9 octave keyboard, transport controls specific to your choice of DAW and a host of other assignable midi controls. Which all in all makes for a bit of a bargain really, as you'd probably end up spending in excess of £200 on a device with as much functionality.